A New Breed: Across the Wasteland
by AmoebaFive
Summary: Rem, daughter of V/M, finds out all too late of her plant origins and the powers that come with. Now, she must make the perilous journey across Gunsmoke to find the only man who can give her answers and the last person she can trust: Millions Knives.
1. Memories

A/N: This story is one that I think will go relatively smoothly. This chapter was written in one sitting by just letting the words flow. I'm actually very pleased with how this is going (in my mind, at least) and although this first chapter doesn't really reveal the plot in any up front way, it sets up the problems to come for poor little Rem. Also, this story, sadly enough is NOT going to center around Vash and Meryl or even deal with them that much at all. This will more or less just be Rem, their daughter and Nick, Milly and Wolfwood's son, though I can't promise too much romance on that front either (maybe). Anyway, I've talked long enough, so please enjoy the story! ^_^

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun. End of story. This is pointless, because you all KNOW I don't own Trigun. Oh well. If I did, you all be writing disclaimers to me. Since you don't, it's safe to assume I do not.

Rem had only one memory of her elusive and much feared uncle. Anything else about him had been lost in the moments, hidden deep within the crevices of her mind. She remembered every detail of that day because it had been burned in her young mind. Even at such young age, she had realized the importance of that instant, that she must always remember it until the time came to use the information that she had guarded so closely through her childhood.

She had been playing in the geo-grove with her dog, a small whelp of a mutt named Stormy. The day had been a nice one with a cool breeze coming in from the north and blowing the loose strands of her platinum blonde hair around her face as she threw the little red ball for her pup to retrieve. She was so caught up in her game and the feel of the cool grass against her bare feet that she hadn't noticed the stranger until he spoke to her. 

"Hello, little one," he said. She turned to meet eyes the color of the ocean, though she had never seen an ocean before; a cold blue that stretched on into the reaches of infinity. His hair was the same color as hers, maybe even a tad lighter, a blonde that was rarely seen in anyone over the age of three, so white a pure. He was very tall, probably as tall as her father, whom he reminder her of vaguely, with his lanky build and long face. "What are you doing?" His voice was melodic, a pleasing sound. She found herself instantly liking his friendly smile and calm demeanor. 

"I'm playing fetch with my dog," she told him, smiling happily. As if it knew that it was being talked about, the dog came bounding up, the small red ball held proudly in her jaws. "Her name is Stormy." The dog seemed a bit cautious as to approached the stranger and gave him a wide berth as she came to rest at her master's side.

"I see," the man examined the dog for a moment before turning his attention back to her. "And what is your name, little one?" 

"Rem Saverem," Rem answered, still smiling innocently at him. A spark of recognition and another emotion that she couldn't place flashed through her ice blue eyes. She was too young then to understand the look of hatred and sorrow that had been in his cool gaze. "What's your name, Mister?"

He smiled warmly, his composure regained from his moment of weakness. "My name is Millions Knives." He stopped for a moment to see if she recognized the name. She just kept smiling sweetly, oblivious to what his name implied, too young to understand the weight that came with such a name. "Listen, Rem, I'm looking for someone. I sure you know him."

"Really?" Rem was excited to help him find whoever he was looking for, especially if she already knew this person. She had always liked to help people. "Who is it? I don't know very many people because," she lowered her voice for a moment and leaned in closer as if conspiring with the tall man, "my parents don't like me to leave the geo-plant. It gets so boring with only Nick to play with." She spoke her normal tone again, done complaining about her living arrangements, "But, I'd be glad to help you if I can!"

"Alright!" Knives smiled, "I'm looking for a man named Vash." 

Rem's face lit up. "Of course I know him! That's my dad!" She smiled brightly and took one of Knives' large hands in her small one, pulling on him to signal him to follow her. "I'll take you to him, he's home today with Mom and Aunt Milly." She turned to her dog, still with the large man in tow, slightly stooping so that he could grasp her hand, "Come on, Storm." The dog followed as she led Knives to Vash.

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(A/N: I could there for both simplicity sake and for some form of a cliffhanger, but I am a firm believer in the idea that a chapter should be at least four of five pages long. Maybe I'll make it that far! ^_^ I dun know!)

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Her father, the very silly and the very enigmatic outlaw, was none other than Vash the Stampede, though that was no longer the name he went by. Although her mother called him "Vash" at home, often yelling it angrily rather than saying it lovingly, in public she called him "Ericks". When Rem had asked her mother why, she had explained that it was because people didn't like the name Vash. She also said that Rem should never tell people she was "Vash's" daughter, but rather "Erick's" daughter. This confused her to no end, but she excepted the answer, knowing even in her youth that there was more to it than a name, but knowing that her mother would explain it better when she was older. 

When she found her mother and father, they were working in the newer part of the geo-plant, where the saplings were still small and needed nurturing. As long as she could remember they had lived on the geo-plant and didn't see this as unusual or find it at all "amazing" as some of the people who came to visit did. The geo-plant was a large one, covering over ten acres of land that had started as a few very expensive but very small plants and growing from there. Her parents spent a lot of time keeping the plants alive and taught her to do the same. Though they spent much of their free time among the greenery surrounding their house, they never neglected her and always found the time to play games with her or read to her. 

As she approached, she saw her father raise his hand in greeting only to drop it a few moments later, a look of confusion and fear crossing his features. Her mother said nothing and although her expression never changed, it somehow hardened, a reminder of the stoic woman she had left behind so many years before when she met her husband. Rem couldn't understand the almost immediate change in her parents as she continued to drag Knives to them. "Papa!" she called out, a happy lit in her voice from accomplishing the task of helping Mr. Knives find her father, "this man here, Mr. Knives was looking for you! I helped him to find you!" 

They had reached her parents as the two wiped their hands of dirt and stood to face a man they hadn't seen in years. "I see," said Vash, plastering on a fake smile to mask his worry and discontent. He seemed to be weighing his options and the circumstances for a moment before embracing the other man in a tight hug, his fake smile melting away into a real one. "Brother, it's so good to see you again!"

Meryl seemed to relax a bit, knowing that her husband wasn't worried about Knives' sudden appearance, or at least pretending he wasn't worried. "Knives," she said when Vash had finished attacking his brother, "I can honestly say that I'm happy to see you."

"No you aren't!" the plant smiled. Rather than the smile she remembered it seemed to be a relatively good-humored smile that could melt the hearts of women stronger than her. "But, at least when I'm here, you know I'm not out destroying the world."

Rem watched the whole spectacle a bit more confused than usual, unsure what was transpiring between the adults. This was the moment when her father seemed remember that she was the one who had brought his brother there in the first place from the other side of the geo-plant. "Rem," he said turning to her, "this is your uncle, Millions Knives." 

She looked at the man before her in a new light. Never before had anyone from her father's side of the family visited before. Actually, in all her life the only person that she had heard anything about from her father's side was her grandmother and namesake, Rem Saverem. Never before had she heard of her father's brother. She smiled brightly and ran to the man, hugging him around his thighs, as that was all the higher she could reach. "Uncle Knives!"

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She was lying in bed, unable to sleep in the hot dessert night, when she heard them talking out in the living room. Her parents and her uncle had spent most of the day talking and playing with her, but it had all been in a happy sort of casual manor. Now the voices she was hearing sounded harsh and angry.

"You can't let her grow up, not knowing, not comprehending why you won't let her off this geo-plant!" She recognized the voice as her newly discovered relative. He sounded so bitter and angry, she wondered whom he could be talking about. 

"You don't understand, Knives!" Her father. He was angry, which was an emotion she couldn't ever remember her father exhibiting. Even when a man at the grocery store had nearly shot him, for reasons unbeknownst to her, he has simply smiled and told her everything was all right.

"Don't I, Vash? How old is she now?" There was no answer, simply an uncomfortable silence that threatened to crash down on her little ears as she strained to hear an answer. "How old?!"

"She's two years old," Meryl finally answered. Where Rem expected, of all people, her mother to sound angry, she sounded tired and defeated, as if she was facing a truth that she's rather not see, which was exactly was happening, although Rem couldn't understand this.

"Two?! She's two?" Knives laughed, a cold harsh sound, much unlike is full resonant laugh she had heard earlier. "She looks as if she's six or seven!" 

"By two we were nearly adults, Knives!" Her father retorted. 

"Well, we're plants, aren't we, dear brother?" Knives put an emphasis on the last two words, as if mocking her father with the statement. Rem had little time to ponder over what he meant by 'plants' before her uncle continued. "Of course her growth period will be slower than ours was, she's half-human. Assured though, within the next two or three years, the 'girl' will be a woman, then what will you do? Do you plan to explain it to her then, after she's already seen the effects of her genetic for herself as the priest's son seemingly stays the same and she does not?"

"We'll tell her when she's ready to know!" Vash answered, sounding unsure of himself.

"Did you even think of what would happen when you had this child, Vash?" Knives snarled. "Did you consider the consequences of your actions before you acted with you penis rather than your mind?!"

"Knives!" Her mother spoke for the first time in the last ten minutes, Rem had nearly forgotten she was there, "we discussed what might happen before we decided to conceive a child. We hoped for her to be more human than plant, but as it is apparent that she is different, we will deal with those consequences as well."

"You are both acting the fool," Knives said. Rem could hear the discontent in his voice. "When the child begins to see what you have done to her, the fate that you doomed her too, and has no other choice, send her to me. Brother, you do not even understand yourself, let alone the poor half-breed that you have created. I, on the other hand, know what it means to be a plant. I will teach her, if she ever needs help."

"I don't trust you, Knives," Meryl said, her voice full of malicious, "I never have and I will never send my child to you so that you can corrupt her. You are too evil."

"And you're too naïve, spider."

They spoke no more after that as Rem lay wondering in her small bed, her mind swimming with emotions and questions that she could not understand and had no answers for. It was clear that they had been speaking to her, but she didn't understand what it meant that she was a "half-breed". Nor could she understand what her age had to do with anything. She was sure that her uncle had meant Nick when he referred to "the priest's son" but what did that have to do with anything? Nick was nearly five years older than her and only played with her when his mother made him. 

With all these questions swimming through her mind, she quickly felt sleep washing over her and when she awoke in the morning, her uncle was gone, but the memory of Millions Knives remained. 

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A/N: Please Review! I appreciate it and it always encourages me to write faster, although I'll post with or without a certain amount of reviews. (I hate when authors do that!) So, please just drop me a line and tell me what you think!


	2. Danger, Truth, and Innocence

A/N: WOW! I'm really surprised at the response to the first chapter. People actually seem to like this. Amazing. Lol. Big BIG thanks to those of you who reviewed. Keep it up! *wink wink, nudge nudge* Anyway, this chapter has some romantic elements because, try as I might, I can't help putting it in. *sigh* I've talked enough: on with the second chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. If I owned my own Trigun DVD's I'd be happy. Sadly enough, even those belong to someone else. U_U I am so alone. 

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Chap 2

Rem could hear the birds outside her window chirping happily as the sun rose slowly above the trees that surrounded her home for as long as she could remember. She squinted her eyes as the first rays of light streamed down upon her face and rolled over, trying to fight off waking up before her mother came in to wake her up. As if on cue, she heard the sounds of footsteps making their way up the stairs towards her small room. These weren't her mother's light steps though, they were heavier, which either meant that her father was up already or….

"Nick's here," Rem said happily, snuggling into her warm comforter and closing her eyes, trying to look as if she was still asleep. It was a game that she and her friend had played for years. Every time he came up to wake her, she would do her best to act as if she wasn't aware of his attempts to rouse her. He would laugh and sit on her and tickle her or whatever other torture he had thought up that week and she would lie as still as she could, trying not to laugh. This game would continue until she either laughed and sat up, or he gave up and told her that his mother had brought a large box of donuts, as was Milly's costume every Saturday. 

This morning she stifled a giggle as she heard Nick open the door and walk in, not even bothering to knock. He laughed, a good-humored deep sound that filled the small room. She could feel her bed dip beneath his weight as he sat down at her side, where room allowed. "Good-morning, Sleeping Beauty. It's time to wake up and greet the world!" His voice was of a medium pitch, a little deeper than most other men his age. She had once heard her mother telling Milly that Nick both looked and sounded like his father, though she herself had no idea what Nicholas's father was like.

"Bugger off," she said, still keeping her eyes closed and playing along with the game, as was expected.

"Come now, Sleeping Beauty!" the older boy said. She felt his hand slip around her side as he turned her over flat on her back. "You don't want me to wake you in classic fairy-tale fashion, do you?"

Rem felt a blush beginning to creep across her features at the very thought. She did have feelings for her friend, though it was something she would never admit to herself, but she was never sure where his feelings for her lie. One minute he would be flirting shamelessly with the serving girl at the bar, the next, he would be holding her hand and pondering the meaning of life with her beneath the stars. She thought it better to not tell him how she felt, if only to protect what frail relationship they held. 

"You wouldn't," she mumbled, ready to end the game and give up this morning. She couldn't always win. 

So, her brain didn't register what he was doing quite fast enough as he leaned over and brushed his lips lightly against hers. Her eyes shot open in shock and met with his light blue ones, the same color as his mother's, full of mirth. "I'm awake!" she squeaked, forgetting that they were supposed to be playing a game, that they had played this same game almost three times a week since as long as she could remember. She forgot that this was her best friend since childhood. Instead, she was looking into the laughing eyes of a very attractive man who had just kissed her. 

She swung her legs around and nearly jumped out of bed. Spinning on him, she waved her finger in his face, covering her shock with anger, a trait she had inherited from her mother. "What do you think you're doing?!" She questioned, her brows knit together in a look that she hoped didn't betray her inner twelve-year-old who was jumping up and down for joy. "What if one of our parents saw you pulling off such a stunt?!" 

He smirked, leaning back on her bed. "Go get dressed, Rem. My mom brought donuts and if you don't hurry, your father is going to eat them all."

Rem huffed as she grabbed her clothes off the chair beside her bed where she laid them out each night and hurried into her small bathroom, her face bright red. Once the door was shut she sighed and slid down the wood surface to sit on the cool floor. "What nerve!" she mumbled quietly, afraid he would hear her as she stood up and began to remove her pajamas. "I can't believe he would pull something like that!" She threw her pj's into the basket where she kept all her dirty clothes and yanked her shirt out from under her pants. 

Today, she had picked out one of her favorite shirts, a bright red shirt with long sleeves and a high neck. It fit her snugly, showing off her shapely figure but not making her look too catty. Her pants were a simple pair of jeans, her preferred clothing when it came to covering her legs. 

Grabbing a red hair tie from her sink to match her shirt, she pulled her light-blonde hair up in a high ponytail to keep it out of her eyes. She had found that her hair color was something that other's envied at times; a platinum blonde rarely seen on someone over the age of three. It fit her just right, long, almost reaching the small of her back, and straight. Even in a ponytail it hung down between her shoulder blades, brushing against her back with every step. 

She made her way downstairs, humming to herself, her mind still on Nicholas' actions a few moments before. "Hello, everyone," she greeted as she walked into the small kitchen of the Saverem household. Nick was no where is site, which was probably for the best at the moment. Her father, mother, and "Aunt" Milly were all sitting at the old wooden table around a large box of donuts and chatting happily. Actually, her mother and Milly were chatting while Vash stuffed his mouth with pastries. "Dad!" Rem exclaimed, horrified at the thought of her father eating all the donuts as Nick had predicted, "leave some for me!"

She sat down next to the happily munching outlaw and reached into the box, pulling out five donuts for herself and setting them on her left side, as far away from her donut-hoarding father as possible. Unlike him, she ate at a normal speed, savoring every bite of the delicious confections. 

"So, as I was saying," Meryl was speaking to Milly, ignoring her husband and daughter, "next Monday we need to go shopping for-"

"My birthday party!" Rem exclaimed, interrupting her mother. 

"Dear, don't talk with your mouth full," Meryl reminded, knowing it was no use. "But, yes," she continued, "we need to pick up some ingredients from the store for Rem's cake and decorations as well." Rem beamed happily and picked up her third donut. Her birthday was something that she both looked forward too and dreaded every year it rolled around, though she never confided this to anyone. Her birthday meant that she was another year older, but it was a year wasted. 

"How old will you be this year?" Milly asked, as she did every year, as if she had forgotten, which, knowing Milly, could have very well been the case. 

Rem smiled warmly, though no one at the table saw the pain hidden behind her happy smile. "I'll be fifteen, Aunt Milly." She didn't look fifteen, though, nor did she feel it. She had both appeared and acted around twenty since she was seven. Childhood, those happy days where she was too naïve to worry about her "fast metabolism" had only lasted until she was around five. Puberty had been a joke, starting around age six and ending by her seventh birthday. Since the end of those embarrassing ten months of growth spurts and pimples, she had changed very little outwardly, but inside, she had felt the differences. 

Though her body was trapped in a limbo of sorts, her mind and soul had begun to expand very rapidly since she had stopped her physical growth. She soaked up books of philosophy like they were children's stories. She became more physically agile until her movements were more like that of liquid than of a human being. Her soul hardened as she watched those around her age, a few gray hairs and wrinkles from her mother, Nick's voice deepening and cracking at unexpected moments whilst she teased him about it. She knew she was different, that there was something wrong with her. She saw it in her mother's eyes when she looked at her, heard it in her father's voice when he spoke to her of love and peaceful days. 

"I really can't wait for my birthday!" she said happily, munching on another donut and resting her chin on her palm. "It's always fun to have a party here on the grove! Hopefully, we won't have any mishaps like last year." She eyed her father teasingly as he lunged for the last donut. 

Vash laughed nervously. "Meryl, you looked really good in that cake, though!" The year before, Meryl had baked an enormous cake for Rem's fourteenth birthday. Vash had been carrying it outside and having a hard time seeing around it, when Meryl had entered the kitchen door as he was leaving it.

Meryl groaned. "Don't remind me!" Everyone laughed, including Meryl, at the memory. "I don't think I'll bake the cake quite so big this year. Or, at least, I won't have any needle-noggined husbands carry it!"

"Hey," Vash said defensively, "I was really sorry. Besides, maybe if you would have made it sturdier in the first place…"

Rem laughed at her parents' behavior, knowing full well that they were only teasing one another, as they often did. "Well, I'm going to go tend to my garden. The flowers still need watered and such." 

She excused herself and made her way out into the bright morning sun, closing her eyes and soaking in the sun's rays for a few moments before heading in the direction of her area of the geo-plant. 

When she had started to express an interest in the plants themselves, her parents had gladly set a piece of the geo-plant for her use. She grew quite a few varieties of foods there, including beans and tomatoes, as well as flowers. She enjoyed the feeling of the dirt between her fingers and the pride of watching something that she herself had sown grow and prosper. When she was in her garden, she felt completely at ease with the world. It was place where she didn't have to sorry about her abnormalities, the people who started fights and shot one another in the nearby town, or the world at all. It was her private place, her Eden.

"Hello, everyone!" She gave the plants the same greeting that she gave her parents and Milly that morning. Anyone who watched her garden would swear that she was tending to children rather than plants as she hummed and spoke to them as if they were brethren. "I see that everyone is growing quite nicely, especially considering the weather we've been having. Particularly dry summer, isn't it?" She sighed and sat down among the white gerber and red rhododendrons that she grew, her favorites of the many species of flower on the geo-plant.

"Isn't it odd," she mused to them, running her fingers through the petals of the small white flowers near her. "I can't chose which between you two." She gestured to the two different plants that she sat near. "If I remember correctly, white gerber is…" she trailed off for a moment trying to recall the hundreds of meanings that flowers could have, "truth and innocence. And rhododendron is dangerous." She sighed and lay back, immersing herself in the scents of her garden, the flowers tickling against her skin.

"What are you doing?" Her eyes shot open to find Nick watching her curiously from the edge of her garden. "Your mum said you were tending to the flowers, not sleeping in them."

"I was experiencing a moment of Zen," she told him, standing up and brushing herself off. A few petals fell to the ground from her, back to the earth from whence they had come. "But you had to come and ruin it for me. I will never reach self-actualization with you always barging in on my meditations."

He laughed and held out a hand for her to balance herself on as she tiptoed her way out of the garden, careful not to tread on anything. "Well, I'm very sorry for that," he said as she finally made her way out of the plants that she cared to.

"You should be," she informed him and readied herself to go back inside the house, which was probably why Nick had come out to find her in the first place. 

His voice stopped her however. "Hey, Rem." He sounded unsure and confused, which were two emotions she very rarely heard from her older friend.

"Yes?" She turned around to see him looking at the garden in a peculiar way. She walked over to where he was standing and looked down. In the exact place where she had been laying, the flowers had all grown nearly two inches above their fellows. 

Nick looked at her, his eyes wide. "Are you sure all you were doing was meditating?"

A/N: I don't think I need to say it: Review PLEASE! ^_^


	3. Birthday Celebrations and Seeing Angels

A/N: So, I'm sitting here listening to the song Clocks and typing up this new chapter for my peoples. ^_^ Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, I've had serious case of the dreaded writer's block (insert scary music here). BUT, after about a dozen revisions, I've finally finished chapter 3. So, enjoy. 

Disclaimer: If I owned it, I wouldn't write disclaimers.

  


Rem eyed the small pile of presents across from her with interest, noting that Millie's was set aside for last. She sighed, downcast that she would have to open the brightly wrapped present last, as it was the one she was most curious about. When Millie had handed it to her that morning, still holding a box of donuts and yelling at her son for nearly tripping her, Rem had asked what it was. The older woman had simply smiled and winked, assuring her that it was something she would like and that she would have to wait to find out what it was.

"So, the bounty hunter yells something like, 'Viva el gato!' and jumps!" Vash shook his head as everyone chuckled over the story and shook his head. "You know," he added thoughtfully, "I'm supposed to be the crazed killer, but look at the loons who used to try and find me! Including those damned insurance women!" 

Meryl punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Watch it, broom head." Rem laughed as her father began to rant about his abusive wife and how this was how it had always been.

The party itself was nice. The only 'guests' who had come to her party were Nick and Millie, thought they were more like family to her. The decorations were minimal, a few red and white streamers hanging from the lower branches of the trees and party hats that she had specifically told her parents not to buy. So, Nick had brought the hats as a joke. 

The food was delicious, as Millie and Meryl had cooked it all that morning while Nick and Rem played chess and Vash rooted them both on in turns. Some of her favorite dishes now sat before her, including various salads, pizza, and, of course, donuts. 

Although she was happy to be surrounded by the people that she loved telling jokes and eating birthday cake, something had been nagging at the back of her mind all day. It was as if an electric current was running through her, sending shivers down her spine. Every once in a while, she could swear she could see something out of the corner of her mind, but when she turned to look at it, there was nothing. Although she couldn't explain why, she had the distinct feeling that something was about to happen, something had changed since she woke that morning and she couldn't figure out what. 

"Presents!" Vash yelled, holding up a small package and handing it to Rem ceremoniously. She laughed and took it, only taking a moment to note that it was from her parents before ripping off the childish paper. 

It was a small, leather bound journal, something that she desperately needed as her old journal was quickly running out of pages. "Thank you!" she said, smiling brightly and setting the book down near her to make room for the next box her father was holding out.

As well as the journal, her parents gave her a new pair of working gloves that matched her boots. They had snazzy buckles and clasps to keep them secure and reached almost an inch under her elbows. They faintly reminded her of the gloves her father had worn before he settled. The last gift they gave her was a couple new undershirts, both white and sleeveless for wearing whenever.

Finally, the gift from Milly was handed down to her. As ir sat in front of her on the slightly rumpled white tablecloth, she admired the paper Milly had picked out. It was a deep blood red with a white bow. 'Gee,' she thought as she ripped into the box, destroying the paper, 'I wonder if Milly knows those are my favorite colors?' The question was answered as she gasped and held up her present.

It was a tunic, was suited for traveling and working, with a high collar and slits up either side of the bottom to allow for a wider range of movement. It was made of some sort of bright red material, both lightweight and strong. It was bordered with white material of the same make, adding life to it. For decoration, the collar split and dipped down, creating an interesting pattern of white loops. Across the gap where the collar was split was a single gold clasp to keep it closed. 

"Oh, Milly," Rem gasped, marveling at the clothing's colors and design, "it's beautiful. Did you make it?"

Milly nodded, clearly pleased at Rem's reaction. "Nick told me your favorite colors were red and white."

"Oh," Rem jumped up and hugged the older woman that was like a second mother to her, "thank you so much!"

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"All right, you two, be careful!" Vash called out as Nick waved and shut the door behind them. He had told Rem that they were going out for a post-birthday celebration of sorts, but wouldn't tell her exactly where they were going. 

"Man!" he chuckled and handed her a helmet, as they were going to ride his bike to town, "I was sure your dad wasn't going to let you go!"

Rem snorted in a very unladylike way. "Yeah right. You could tell him that we're going off to have hot wild sex and he would only say, 'Have a good time!'"

Nick laughed. She failed to notice the glint in his eyes as he swung a leg over the bike and motioned for her to get on. "I'm sure he would," he agreed sarcastically as she climbed on behind him, wrapping her arms around his lithe form. 

"Where are we going?" she asked as the motorcycle roared to life. 

"You'll see," he answered mysteriously, winking at her over his shoulder. She just sighed and rolled her eyes.

As they sped down the small path that led from her house out into the dessert night she closed her eyes and rested her head against his back. She could instantly feel him tense up beneath her, his muscles taunt under his black coat. Rem felt as if she was flying through the night as her long hair whipped about her face and fluttered in the wind. For the first time in what seemed like forever, she felt as if everything was right in the world. All that existed was her, Nick, and the night sky as they raced across the sand. 

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The city of Daegon was a fairly large one, a few miles from the geo-grove. She remembered the days when it was little more than a small town, but it quickly grew because Daegon had the one thing that was necessary for any large population; a plant. If it wasn't for the plant, the city would still be little more than a small dot on the horizon to most travelers. 

"So, what are we doing here?" Rem asked as they pulled into a parking spot directly in front of a Saloon. She had her suspicions, but she wouldn't fear the worst until Nick told her it was true.

"We're here to celebrate your birthday!" he grinned down at her as he dismounted the bike. "Come on! You're such a sober woman! Lighten up!"

She sighed and rubbed her temples, knowing that he meant well. It was true that she didn't drink much, though her parents rarely cared if she had a little whiskey of wine. Her father cared less than her mother. Unfortunately, like her father, she had a very low tolerance for alcohol, but unlike him, she didn't drink herself silly. "Nick, you know I can't handle that much."

"That's the beauty of it," he told her, opening the swinging doors for her and grabbing her hand, "I'm driving home, so you can drink all you like!"

Rem steeled herself and finally gave in, telling herself that she would NOT drink herself stupid, even if Nick teased her endlessly for it. 

The bar was quite crowded, though this was to be expected in a town the size of Daegon on a Friday night. The air was heavily with smoke and she chocked a little as the entered the room. The sound of the people was deafening, nearly drowning out the sound of the live music on a small stage in the front of the poorly lit room. There were very few women in the place, especially those who weren't "working", so Rem felt a little discontented walking in. 

As they made their way toward a small empty table toward the front, a few men stared openly. Not many dared to do so for long, though, before the dark-haired youth walking behind her and coaxing her forward shot them a look that promised a slow death to any who took a second look at the young woman. Rem was too oblivious to even realize the hassle her friend was saving her from as she sat down in one of the wooden chairs at the table. Nick sat down across from her and smiled at her in such a way she almost feared for her sobriety. 

"Don't try to get me stupid-ass drunk," she told him squarely, trying to give him her most intimidating glare, "I'm not my father!"

Something crossed through his eyes for a moment, an emotion she couldn't capture and barely noticed before it was gone. He smiled innocently. "Would I do that?"

She snorted for a second time that night and sat back in her chair, trying not to wonder about the people who had sat there before her. 

Soon, a bosomed young waitress made her way over to the two, smiling cattily ad swinging her hips in such a way that Rem wondered if they were even attached to the rest of her body. "What can I get you?" the woman asked the two, though her attention was mostly focused on Nick.

"I'd like a whiskey," Nick said almost automatically, then, "and one for her too."

"I can order for myself!" Rem shot back, sending him a death glare. 

He laughed. "Don't think that I'm just going to let you stop at one drink!" The waitress nodded before Rem could tell her to forget the whiskey and made her way off to another table. 

"Don't worry so much!" Nick told her, obviously seeing the sort of seething look she was shooting him, "I already to her you can get all crazy drunk and it'll be fine!"

"I don't want to get crazy drunk!" she shot back, "I don't want to get drunk at all!"

"Loosen up, Saverem!" Nick told her and laughed. 

She was a bout to punch him right in the face when a very drunk, very slurred voice called across the room, "Wolfwood! You dog!" A man stumbled over to the table, followed by two of his less drunk companions, still carrying a mug of beer.

"Hey, Gary," Nick answered, though none too enthusiastically. It was apparent to Rem that this Gary fellow wasn't one of Nick's favorite people to be around, though Gary was obviously either too drunk of too stupid to know this, as were his friends, as they all pulled up a chair, forcing her to sit as close to Nick as possible. 

"Who's this sweetie?" Gary question, casting a glance at Rem that said more about his intentions toward her then Rem wanted to know. 

Nick bristled, though Rem didn't understand why. 'Why should he care that some drunkard wants me?' she thought. Suddenly, she remembered his kiss from a few days before, almost feeling phantom lips brush against her own. "Her name is Rem Saverem," Nick answered curtly, giving as little information as possible about her. 

"Girlfriend?" Gary arched his eyebrows at her, trying to act suave. Nick seemed to consider his answer and the effect it would have on the whole table, all who obviously wanted to know whether or not this girl belonged to their friend. 

"Something like that," Nick responded, trying to sound disinterested with the whole conversation. 

"What do you mean?" one of Gary's friends asked. Rem was beginning to wonder the same thing. He was being completely ambiguous, as if he didn't want to answer the question at all.

Before Nick could answer and inevitably say something stupid, Rem interrupted him. "We've been good friends all our lives," she smiled and grabbed his hand, "sometimes I like to think it borders on something more than friendship." She mentally swore at herself for being so honest, though she couldn't be sure if Nick knew that what she said was true. 

Before the matter could be discussed anymore, though, the waitress returned, swaying her hips, with their drinks. She nearly threw Rem's in her face, but smiled flirtatiously at Nick as she handed him his. Rem glowered at the blonde woman, not understanding why she felt so jealous by the looks she kept sending her tall friend. 

"Ah!" Gary said, grabbing the waitresses arm, "I want you to keep this table filled with beer, got it?" Turning to the Rem and Nick he added, "It's on me."

It was only a matter of time before the room seemed a little blurry to Rem as she downed another mug of beer to the heartening cheers of the men around the table. She felt her mind swim as she sat back in her chair and laughed. Nick watched her through partially closed eyes, a piquant smile across his features as he leaned toward her. "I think you're a bit drunk, my dear."

She hiccupped and giggled, closing the distance between them until they were only millimeters apart. "Do you think so?" she asked coquettishly, "Good thing you're driving."

They had almost forgotten that Gary and his friends were still sitting around until Gary interrupted their moment, his voice slurred by alcohol. "Guys," he whispered, though he was still speaking rather loudly to be heard over the racket in the small room, "I had a great idea! Why don't we go down to the plant? Check it out, you know?"

"Are you crazy?" Nick asked, speaking a bit loudly and sounding incredulous, "There's guards at the plant, you idiot!"

Gary grinned slyly, giving him a rather evil look, and leaned forward. "I don't mean that plant."

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The abandoned plant was only a few miles from Daegon, a dead shell of a building that lay nearly covered by sand on its right side. No one knew why the plant didn't work, though most believed it was because something had malfunctioned long before Daegon had become an industrial city. Children would whisper to one another that it was haunted and every once in a while, someone would venture out to the old decrepit thing to see if it was true.

The door creaked as Gary pushed it open with his right hand and shined a flashlight into the gloom with his left. There was nothing but old computer consoles that had long ago stopped working and sand that had somehow managed to seep into the vacated place. Rem felt a sense of foreboding sweep over her as they made their way into the gloom, each taking carful steps as to not slip into the darkness that surrounded them so thoroughly. 

Suddenly, she heard it; a voice filtering through the piles of sand and dirt, calling out to her. When she looked around to see if anyone else had heard it, she was surprised to see that none of them gave any indication of hearing disembodied voices floating through the air. She heard it again, only rather than specific words or a voice, it now came to her as a feeling. Desolation, sadness, despair overwhelmed her senses as it called. 

"Let's go this way," Rem said, pointing down into the darkness where she felt the presence. Though she knew that she should have been frightened of things calling out to her in the dark, she somehow felt a connection, as if the thing was a sibling. She felt it's both its pain at being alone for so long as well as its joy that its sister was near, but didn't understand the meanings. 

Their footsteps echoed off the smooth metal around them, making the effect of the place even worse. "Hey there's an opening up here!" Gary said from the front of the small group, still brandishing the flashlight as if it was a weapon. 

Rem felt something warm brush against her hand. At first she couldn't identify the cool calloused fingers pressing against her own, but then she heard his voice only inches away from her ear. "Stay close," Nick whispered, still holding her hand as he led her down the corridor and into a large room. 

Rem gasped when she first saw the light glint against the dome, not really understanding what it was but knowing it was important. She felt as if it was a calling out to her. Without thinking she let of Nick's hand, not even hearing him call out to her in the darkness. She laid her hand against the cool glass of the sphere. A shock ran through her whole arm as she felt something stir both inside the glass and inside of her. One moment, she was simply Rem Saverem, a normal girl exploring an abandoned plant with a group of friends, the next she was something more. 

She felt an awareness slip into her mind as an electric power washed through her. She shuddered and fell to the ground, breaking contact with the glass. As quick as it had come, the feeling of another mind in her own left her as she choked against a cry that threatened to overwhelm her. 'What's happening?!' her mind screamed at her, though she had no answers for it. 

Lost in her own mind, she didn't see Gary approaching her, the flashlight turned off and his form barely recognizable in the dim light of the moon that shown in through a hole in the roof. She didn't realize what he was doing until his hand wrapped around her neck, like a snake about its prey, and pulled her to her feet. His mouth pressed against hers, hard, and shocked her back into reality. 'What is he doing?!' she thought, trying to force him off of her, but soon realizing that she couldn't, as he had his whole body flushed against her own. He covered her mouth with one hand and began to explore her body with the other. She struggled even harder before she felt a second pair of hands grab her and keep her pinned against the glass behind her. 

'Nick!' her mind screamed, 'Where's Nick?! Why isn't he helping me?!' For the first time since she had known him, Nick wasn't there to save her. Her mind swam wildly as she tried to struggle against her attackers. She felt Gary's hand slip down between her legs, searching for something that would never belong to him.

Something snapped in her. She didn't know what was happening, even afterwards she could never really explain what happened. There was a flash of light as the plant behind her roared to life and a silent screaming in her mind as Gary dropped to the ground, a trail of blood seeping from his mouth. His friend backed away from her, his eyes wide with fear as he looked upon the woman in front of him.

Rem's eyes glowed with some unexplainable light, a bright blue that filled her sight. She couldn't see the man laying dead before her, blood pooling about his head, or his friends who were evacuating the room, their eyes wide with fear. She couldn't see Nick as he ran toward her, his eye already swelling shut and a bruise forming across his cheek. 

All she could see was an angel. 

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A/N: I wasn't going to make this a cliffhanger, but this seemed like a good place to end the chapter. *dodges random flying objects* I'M SORRY! As a consolation, I will work extra hard to get the next chapter out ASAP! To prompt me to do so you might review. *wink wink, hint hint* So, until next chapter! *falls over, hit by a black cat*

  


*in the line "Viva el gato", gato is Spanish for 'cat'. I thought that was more fitting for the Trigun universe than 'presidente'. 

*As a side note: THE TRIGUN MANGA IS COMING OUT NOV. 5!!!! *does a little happy dance* If you want more info, go to darkhorse comics. ^_^


	4. Little Sister

Chap. 4

A/N: GAH! Even I couldn't stand the cliffhanger at the end of the last chapter, so I've gotten this one out as fast as possible. Thanks to everyone who is reviewing and such.

In the last chapter, I forgot to answer a couple of questions from one of my reviewers, so here they are: 

Rem is fifteen, as it says once when she is speaking to Milly, but I want to stress the fact that because she is half plant, she does NOT act fifteen. ^_^;;

Yes, Nick noticed the fact that she did not grow up at a normal rate, which will be addressed in the next chapter or so. 

Disclaimer: Here is where I'm supposed to come up with some snazzy disclaimer of funny remark about how I don't own Trigun. I have none, so we'll leave it at the basics: Trigun is not mine and never will be. Sad.

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Rem stared at the creature floating before her, a model of perfection. If she had been asked to describe what a plant angel looked like afterwards, she never would have been able to tell the listener of it's beauty and grace as it floated in a world outside of time. It's perfect tan skin was unmatched by any human to ever walk Gunsmoke, or any other planet for that matter. It round golden eyes seemed to be staring into the depths of her soul, flooding her mind with their soft glow. Behind the angel, which appeared to be androgynous, two long, flowing wings unfurled from it's back, seeming made up of neither metal nor skin. Long, translucent hair flowed about its head, drifting in some unseen wind. I twas beautiful in every sense of the word. An overwhelming race and perfection never imagined in the human mind. 

She placed her hand against the smooth bulb, feeling its presence wash over her. It seemed to speak to her, not with words, but with an emotion far greater than her own. It was a creature of peace and love, neutering and protection. It was strong that it didn't need to speak to communicate, it simply existed on a level beyond comprehension. 

'Calm yourself, little sister.' It was a voice never meant for human ears. It was the sighing of the wind through the trees and the sound of birds as they sang their sweet slow songs. It filled her with both an unbelievable sense of pain and longing as well as peace and tranquility, nearly bringing her to tears. 'Those humans that wished to hurt you are gone.'

'Who,' Rem tried to find the right words, 'what are you?'

Though the angel's face didn't move, it somehow appeared amused. 'I am a plant, little sister, but you already knew this, did you not?'

Rem thought about it. She had never seen a plant before, though she knew that they were things of immense power. Not many people really knew anything about the plants, which made her knowledge of them even more limited. Somehow, though, the second she had entered the building, she had known what lay at its center. A creature far beyond human understanding that now shown down upon her and spoke through her mind. 'Yes, I knew. Rather, than, who are you?'

'I have no name,' the plant smiled in her mind. She could feel its lips curl up as its emotions continued to wash over her in waves. 'If you must, you may call me your brother.'

'Brother?' Rem felt the connection instantly as the plant moved closer to her toward the bottom of its bulb. 'What do you mean?'

'Do you not feel the power flowing through you?' her brother asked her, it's "voice" filled with concern, 'You have always known it was true, have you not? Even as a child, you could feel that you were different, did you not?'

Rem wanted to tell the plant it was wrong, that she never felt such a thing. She wanted to scream at it and cry, telling it that it was a wrong, horrible thing that didn't have any idea what she felt. But, she couldn't because what it said was true. 'Are you,' her eyes widened, still pulsing an icy blue, 'that I'm....'

'Dear little sister,' she felt compassion and pity as the angel above her spoke. It floated down a little farther, its lips brushing against her forehead through the glass bulb. 'You are not human. You are a plant.'

Rem felt faint as the power of the plant moved through her, causing her body to seize up. The last thing she remembered was Nick standing over her, his eyes filled with worry and the plant far above her, smiling into eternity.

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Rem had the oddest dream she could ever remember having. She was standing in a room, filled with electronics that had long ago been left in the search for something better. Dust covered the consoles and coated the floor. Her footsteps were muffled by its soft film across the metal ground beneath her. There was something in front of her, a cool substance glinting in the dim light filtering down into the room from somewhere above her. She reached out and touched the glass. 

As she did, the bulb before her burst to life, just as it had in the plant. Inside, though, was not a plant angel. Instead, the person she saw there was her father. His eyes were wide with fear as he looked down at her. He tried to speak, but she couldn't hear him. 

"Dad!" she yelled, pounding against the glass, trying to find someway to open it. "Dad! I'll get you out!"

Suddenly, a hand clasped her tightly on the shoulder. She gasped and turned to find that the hand belonged to a man that she had not seen in nearly thirteen years. "Knives . . . "

Rem gasped, sitting up in bed, sweat pouring down her face and her blonde hair strewn about her. She looked around, finding that she was in her own room, surrounded by the familiarity of her belongings and the warmth of her bed. It was dark, though she could make out the shape of the room by the moonlight that came in through her window. 

"A dream," she gasped, laying back and smiling. "It was all a dream. There was no birthday party, not bar, no Gary. It was nothing but a bad dream."

Just then, she heard voices flittering up from downstairs, reaching her ears. "What are we going to do, Vash?" It was her mother. Her voice sounded strained and worried.

"We have to do what we should have done a long time ago," her father sounded tired, as if he had been up all night. He sighed. "We have to tell her the truth."

"But what can we tell her?" Meryl choked back a sob, "That she's, she's . . . "

"It's all right, Meryl." Rem surprised to hear Nick's voice as he consoled her mother, "Just tell her what you told me. She'll understand. She has to."

Rem jumped out of bed, registering in the back of her mind that she was still fully clothed in the same thing she had been wearing that day. She stormed down the stairs, her eyes wide with fright and her mind screaming at her the truth; it wasn't a dream. 

As she burst into the bright light of the living room where everyone was sitting, they all looked up at her wide eyed. Meryl's face was streaked with tears and Vash looked rather taunt and serious, a look that she could never recall seeing on her father's face. "Oh, Rem," Meryl sobbed, breaking the silence and burying her face in her hands. 

"What," Rem faltered, looking first from her mother, to her father, to her best friend sitting next to Meryl on the worn couch, "What's going on?"

"Rem, sit down," her father commanded, sounding even more morose than he had a few minutes before. Nick made room for her on the couch as she walked across the room almost automatically, her arms and legs acting of their own accord.

"How to begin," Vash smiled wryly, though not out of joy, "Well, first I must warn you: do not interrupt me, do not stop me. What I'm telling you is crazy and impossible, but it is true." He took a deep breath, "It all started 148 years ago . . . "

(A/N: wouldn't you hate me forever if I stopped there? Nah. That would be WAY too short a chapter . . . )

Rem listened as Vash told his story, thinking it to be a fairy tale, an impossibility. Not wanting to believe the words that poured from his mouth, but knowing in her heart that she must. As he retold his childhood, she could almost see and touch the ship that he had lived on as he described it. She could feel every hit he received from Steve and cried every tear. She could imagine Knives, her uncle and at one time the biggest threat to mankind, as a child, stoic and aloof. She grew to love Rem, her father's surigant mother, and wanted to die as Rem's ship burned up in the atmosphere. As Vash wandered across the desert, she could feel the heat on her back and Knives' taunts about the human race that she loved so much. 

It was too much. It wasn't enough. It was a lie, but it was so true, she wanted to curse her father forever for telling it to her. He left Knives, but Knives found him. July, Augusta, sand steamers, insurance girls, love, hate, life, death, pain, joy, love and peace, all of these filled her and left her as her father told her of his life and wanderings. She wanted to scream, because it was true. 

"Finally," Vash's voice was horse from speaking for over an hour without stop, "I couldn't run from Knives anymore. I left one day, after assuring the woman I loved that I would be back for her, and went out to take care of my brother. When I found him, it was as if I had gone back 130 years. He sat there, so calm and collected, drinking his wine and asking me how my time with the humans had been. After all I had lived through, this was the moment that it had all been for, the final fight for love and peace."

Vash stopped for the first time since he had begun speaking. Rem was on the edge of her seat, wanting to know the rest, but afraid to hear it because once those words left his mouth, that made it true. Anything he told her could change her life. "I won the battle and carried him back to town with me. I didn't know if it was the right thing to do, but I did it anyway because," he seemed to be considering his next words very carefully, "he was my brother."

Vash smiled sadly. "Knives, of course, eventually recovered from his wounds, though he didn't make his stay with us a pleasant one. He would constantly taunt your mother and poor Milly, telling them what scum they were. He would tell me I was weak and falling for a lowly spider. Then," Vash trailed off again, "something happened. Even now, I couldn't tell you what it was. It was if some part of him broke, or rather, some part of him healed. He stopped his tormenting of the women and me and when he healed he just . . . left.

So, I carried on with my life. I eventually asked your mother to marry me. I still confess that I have no idea why she agreed, but, luckily for me, she did. We moved here, outside of what was once a small town. She liked it because Bernardelli had an office that she could work at and I," Vash smiled dreamily, "Well, they did have the best donuts I had ever tasted.

We settled down, Meryl telling her company that she was still keeping the dangerous outlaw under surveillance outside of a small town called Daegon. After a few years we had you and I've never been happier." Vash smiled happily and sat back into his chair. "I've never been happier in over 133 years."

(A/N: Do I talk too much? Lol. Anyway, ANOTHER good place to end the chapter, but, I'll be nice and keep typing.)

Rem stared at him, partly out of shock and partly out of disbelief. He father, the goofy man she had known all her life, was actually a plant, approximately 148 years old, and the most wanted outlaw on the planet? It was too much for her. It started out as a giggle, then exploded into a full out laugh, her whole body shaking in delight.

"What?" Vash looked worried, "You don't believe me?!"

Rem tried in vain to answer him a few times, but was laughing too hard. "It's not," she laughed, "It's not that. I just," more laughter, "I mean," she started crying, the tears falling down her face in large drops. She sobbed. 

It was true. She wasn't human. She was a plant, or at least a half-bred freak that had grown up under the assumption that she was perfectly normal. She felt Nick's arm go around her shoulders as he hushed her quietly, brushing his cheek against hers. He whispered to her, telling her things were going to be all right, that she was going to be fine, but she knew that it wasn't. It never could be. If her father had spent more than 130 years trying to escape the truth of his origin, how could she manage?

"Rem," Vash started, not knowing how to console her as she sobbed into Nicholas's shirt, leaving a large wet spot on his shoulder. He had lived his whole life knowing that he wasn't human, but she had lived for fifteen years thinking that she was absolutely normal. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner. I thought maybe I could shield you from the life I once led, but I guess that was impossible. It's true that you are not all human, but that doesn't make you wrong."

"I," Rem hiccuped, trying to make sense of the whole matter, "I need to sleep on it. I-I thank you for telling me, even if it was a bit late, Father." With Nick's help, she made her way back to her room, tears still streaming down her face. 

She sat on the edge of her bed, her head buried in her hands as she tried to hide her tears from Nick. She felt his arms wrap around her, engulfing her in his scent and warmth. Before, she could have just told him how she felt, all the thoughts that were swimming through her mind as she stumbled along the fine line between reality and dreams. Now, though, she had no idea how to connect with him, how to ask him what to do or what to believe. With no other outlet, no way to express all the torment in her, she titled her head up and pressed her lips to his, wanting him to feel all the pain and sorrow she did, wanting someone to understand.

As he held her, their kiss broken, she left her tired body slump against him. "Nick," she whispered, "please promise you won't leave me."

"I promise," he whispered, his hot breath against her neck. She sighed contentedly and finally succumbed to the feelings that had been gnawing away with her, engulfed by sleep. 

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A/N: Yay! Another chapter done! And what a chapter! I didn't mean to make the explanation of Vash's past so long, but, I like it anyway. Please tell me what you think! Flame me, praise me, just let me know you're reading!


	5. Runaway

A/N: Yet another short chapter. Gomen! Anyway, I don't have too much to say besides thank you to all the reviewers!!! You make me so happy! I'll be doing personal thank you's soon, so you can all feel extra special too. So, please keep reviewing and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

Disclaimer: No owny, no suey!

  


Chap. 5

Rem lay in her worn bed, her eyes wide open and her senses alert to all that was going on around her. The night air was pressing in upon her, threatening to choke her and bind her against the rough fabric of the blanket beneath her. She could hear the crickets chirping out in the vast garden around her home, a piece of normalcy in all the insanity around her. 

Nick had left hours before, assured that she would sleep soundly. However, her own wandering thoughts and guilty conscience roused her out of her tranquillity. She felt like crying, to try and wash away the oppression the weighed down upon her heart, but no tears came. She just lay there, staring up at the ceiling, hoping that it was all a dream and knowing full well that it was all too real. 

Rem closed her eyes and tried to sleep again, to make the nightmare go away for just a little bit longer before the day came again. Gary's friends would be sobering up soon, she wondered if any of them would recall the previous night. She shuddered at the thought.

"I killed a man," she whispered. As soon as she said the words, she felt the weight of what they meant press upon her already unsteady heart. "I...I killed someone."

She sat up suddenly, her blonde hair matted and her eyes wide, "What right did I have to kill him?!" She felt the panic begin to overcome her and tried to push it back down, resulting in a soft strangled cry issuing forth from somewhere inside her, where the pain lay. 

She sat silent for a few moments, her head buried in her hands, trying to overcome the grief that was consuming her. Her long hair pooled around her, looking more like strands of silk in the bright moonlight that filtered in through the window. She shook with pain as it racked against her body and soul. 

Suddenly, the answer hit her. Rem knew the truth and instantly regretted the consequences of what she had to do. "I can't stay here," she murmured, her eyes wide, "I have to go . . . go to . . . " she trailed off, the name and memories that lay buried in her mind for so long finally resurfacing. "I have to go to Knives."

She swung her legs around the side of the bed, letting the cool wooden floor sooth her before she stood. Her traveling clothes were put away neatly in her closet, as she hadn't had to use them in years. Now though, she instantly recalled the feeling of the light stretchy materiel against her skin. She could almost hear the roar of a sandsteamer and feel the grains of sand as they tried to embed themselves in her. 

Rem had always had a fondness for traveling and now that she was resolved to leave, she almost felt happy that she would have the opportunity to go once more. "I guess I'm a nomad by nature," she mused, thinking of her father and his traveling for over a century before settling down. 

She pulled down the box that held her traveling clothes, its contents rattling around inside. All the small brown box contained was a pair of tight black pants that hugged her skin, made of a skintight materiel that acted as light protection against the elements, a tunic, old and worn from travel, and a clunky pair of goggles that protected her eyes from sand. 

Rem made quick work of changing out of her pajamas and into her traveling gear. She knew she had to work fast, fearing that her parents might wake at any moment and tell her how stupid she was being. She knew though in her heart that what she was doing was right. 

As she buckled that pants, she realized one danger in her plan. A woman traveler always faced danger, even with company, but a woman alone had nearly no chance of reaching her destination safely. She sighed and looked in the mirror. Her hair was an easy problem, rectified by a pair of scissors, but her chest was quite another story. She ran into her bathroom and rummaged in the drawer for a second before finding what she needed what she was looking for. It would be uncompfortable and most likely painful to bind her chest with the gauze, but it was really her only option. 

Rem tightly wrapped the long cloth about her, pressing her breasts flat and wincing a bit as she got used to the feeling. When she had finished, she looked in the mirror, surveying the results. Though there were still bumps where her breasts were pushed flat against her body, she knew that under all her clothing it would be hard to know her true gender. 

Her hair was the next thing to be taken care of. Though she loved the long blonde tresses, she knew that her waist-length hair would only get in the way on her journey. Steeling herself, she took her scissors from her desk and cut. It grew easier as she went, blonde strands pooling on the floor at her feet. Soon, though, she determined that she had cut enough to pass as a boy, her hair now only coming down to her chin and rather messy as she had never cut her own hair before. It would do though. 

Working quickly, she pulled on one of the sleeveless shirts that her parents had given her. As she picked up her old traveling tunic, her eyes rested upon Milly's beautiful work that lay across her chair. Though it would be conspicuous and might attract attention, she could leave it behind. Pulling it over her head, she admired the way it fit her body just perfect, leaving enough room so not to constrict her movement. "It's as if she knew that I would need it," Rem muttered as she tightened the clasp on the collar and grabbed her gloves from the end table.

Once her gloves and boots were on, their many clasps and buckles glimmering in the dim light, she grabbed her goggles and slipped them onto her forehead as to keep her hair out of her eyes. Looking in the mirror once more, she stared shocked at her reflection. Though she could still she the same eyes and lean face staring back at her, the change was enough to fool even her. She looked more like a man, ready for adventure and hunting some elusive bounty than a young runaway girl who had recently celebrated her fifteenth birthday. 

Grabbing what little money she had, extra clothing, and her journal, she carried it with her to the small closet near the kitchen, knowing that there was a traveling pack inside. Setting her things down she opened the door and grabbed the pack, stuffing her things inside hastily. Before she shut the door, though, her eyes rested upon something hidden in the back of the closet. 

It was a large trunk, pushed back behind coats and other miscellaneous items that had accumulated in the small closet over the years. It almost called out to her. Forgetting her haste, she grasped the handle and pulled the case out, surprised at how heavy it really was. There was no lock on it, as she guessed her parents never suspected she would find it. Steeling herself, she opened it.

Inside was a red coat, tattered and torn from years of travel. She lifted it out and stared at it, knowing whose it was and all that it stood for; years of struggle and pain, as well as joy and happiness. Setting it aside, she examined the rest of the trunk's occupants, thoroughly shocked now that she knew what this was. It was her father's past. 

There were pictures of people she had never met as well as some of her mother and Milly. There was even a picture with her father, looking rather smashed, and a man that looked surprisingly like Nick. She assumed that this was his father, Milly's lost lover. Buried under the pictures was a pair of sunglasses, bent strangely on the rims and a bright orange yellow color. She put them into the traveling pack next to her other supplies and reached down again, only to stop when she realized what was before her.

A gun. A 45-Colt Special, glinting passionlessly in the moonlight. Next to it lay its holster, a light brown leather made to hold this weapon of destruction. She felt as if the gun was calling to her, its cold metal beckoning to her to pick it up and put it to use once more. Her fingers shaking, she reached forward and grasped the weapon, surprised by its weight. Slipping it into the holster, she lifted them both and took a shaky breath. 

"For love and peace," she murmured, fastening the holster about her waist and leg. It settled there as if that was where it was always meant to be, at her side, ready for anything.

Picking up her pack, she opened the front door and stared out into the night, the moons lighting the scenery around her. Rem didn't look back as she left, afraid that if she did, she wouldn't have the courage to keep going. The world was calling to her, her adventure only beginning. 

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A/N: I know this one is a bit boring, but I had to have to an obligatory description chapter. Hope you don't mind. I'm already working on the next chapter, so THINGS ARE GONNA START HAPPENING! ^_^;;


	6. Angels and Devils

A/N: There, now with the annoying description chapter out of the way, we can move on to grander things, like the actual story. LOL, well that's all part of the story, but let's just say the last chapter wasn't really my favorite to type. ~_^ 

Anyway, sorry this took so long and sorry this chapter is so very short! I promise I'm writing the next one ASAP and it will be longer!

Disclaimer: Peas!

  


Chap. 6

Rem watched as the sand below her flew past, or rather, she flew forward, supported nearly a hundred yarz in the air by the mass of metal of the sand steamer. It was impossible to watch a single spot before she was propelled forward again. The sand beneath her seemed to glow golden in the rising sun, stretching endlessly in all directions and covering Gunsmoke. 

She sighed and leaned against the frail metal railing into the wind, enjoying the feeling of her newly cut hair whipping about her face and neck as the steamer picked up speed. She let all her fears and worry wash away with the morning rays, relaxing into the cool sunlight that filtered through her eyes and warmed her body. She had only left Daegon a few hours before, barely making it onto the late-night sandsteamer as it prepared to leave, but she could already feel her soul twisting in the wind, free of the constraints of life on the geo-plant. It was as if some hidden part of her was now clamoring at her to let it free, expanding within her skin and filling her mind with its presence. 

For the first time in her life, she didn't feel the unease of guilt as she watched children running freely across the deck of the ship, not saddened when she saw an old woman nearing the end of her time. She was free to live and breath the morning sun and wallow in her new self discovery. "I may live outside of time," she whispered to the wind, "but I want to stay in this moment forever." 

The steamer trudged on, speeding across miles of desert towards the next town, a young girl that looked like a man at its helm. The morning rays illuminating her form, giving her the appearance of an angel.

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Though large, Rem found the sand steamer to be packed full of people, each more rude than the next. She hadn't had the money to afford a single room, so she was forced to bunk in the lower decks with what seemed like hundreds of other passengers. Though most were somewhat well-off, others seemed no better than common criminals, glaring at her every time she passed by. 

Children were underfoot and burly, gruff men leaned against the cool metal walls as if challenging her to bother them. She tried to push her way through the throngs of people to reach her bunk without too much trouble, but it seemed that trying to dodge rain would be a simpler task than trying not to bump into anyone. Either luck wasn't with her or fate had a score to settle as she tripped and knocked into what seemed to be the largest man she had ever laid eyes upon. 

"What do you think you're doing, squirt?!" the man said cooly, his beard quivering as her spoke. She stared at his broad shoulders and large belly, trying to decide how to react.

"I'm terribly sorry!" she apologized quickly, almost forgetting to speak an octave lower than her usual tone. She scratched the back of her head nervously, "I'm awfully clumsy on these ships!" This, of course, was a flat out lie, as she had never met anyone with better balance than herself.

"You better watch out, you little punk!" The large man grabbed her around the collar of her shirt and lifted her completely off the ground so that even her feet didn't touch anymore, quite an accomplishment as she was pushing five foot ten. She struggled against his grasp, trying to free herself from his iron like grip.

Another man, this one much shorter than her and as skinny as a twig, peaked around his burly companion. "Clock him one, Bruno," the man said in a nasally voice, "teach this kid better balance next time, won't it?" Rem made a mental note to make the man regret his suggestion later. 

Bruno seamed to consider this as the hand around her neck tightened a bit. She watched him with fear, still trying to escape without bodily harm as she struggled in midair. Rem watched as a large fist pulled back, coiling like a carnival toy. The tighter the coil was when you released, the harder it would punch. It wasn't his fist she was afraid of, but rather the force behind it as he grinned at her maliciously. "Guess you'll learn to watch out next time," he sneered. 

Time seemed to slow down as she watched the fist begin to move towards her, ready to knock her into oblivion. As the punch hurled forward, she felt her whole body relax as she gripped his wrist that he had been holding her in the air with even harder. There was a sickening crack as her fingers pressed into his skin, exerting enough force on the small bones there to break. His fist still continued towards her, but that no longer seemed a problem as she merely reached forward with her free hand and pushed his arm aside as it slid past her. 

Bruno instantly let go of her as his fist only met air and his other fell uselessly at his side. "What the hell did you do?!" he screamed, holding his broken arm gently with the other against his chest. 

Rem felt a calm slip over her. Rather than screaming back at him, or even apologizing profusely while trying to slink away, she just let a cool facade slip over her features. "Don't ever touch me again, you filthy excuse for a human, or I'll do more than break your wrist," she said in a voice that was not her own. With that, she spun around and marched down the cool metal hall in search or normalcy. 

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The dinning room was fairly well furnished, matching tables and chairs scattered about the wide space before a large stage where nightly shows entertained those guests on the ship wealthy enough for such things. Rem sat alone towards the back, still perturbed from the night's earlier events. "What possessed me to react so violently?" she mused aloud. 

_It was you or him._ Some part of her responded so loudly, so violently against her logic that it was unignorable. 

_I have no right to hurt others for my own gain._

_You are superior to his kind, why be ashamed of using your abilities to get what you want?_

_ I didn't want to hurt him!_

_ Didn't you?_

She wanted to cry, afraid to answer her own thoughts and raging emotions. She didn't want to hurt that man, of that she was sure. If she was so sure, though, then why was she questioning herself? 

She sighed and watched as other patrons walked into the dining room. The posh men escorted beautiful, elegant women, some of them shooting her a look of disdain as they past. She didn't care though. Rem couldn't bring herself to care what the primp and proper of society thought of her. 

"You're all just fooling yourselves," she said to no one in particular, "hiding behind your money and you manners, trying to keep out the world. Do you really think it's possible to hide forever?"

Tired of the feeling she got from watching these people gorge themselves daintily, she sighed and pushed her chair back, earning her a few glares as it squeaked loudly across the polish floor. She let the door to the dining room swing shut behind her, not even casting it a second glance as she walked down the now deserted halls. Most of the ships inhabitants were now in the dining room, consuming ill-prepared gourmet and talking of the most resent scandals of their friends and family. 

There was a faint click as a door behind her opened and shut. She didn't pay any attention, assuming that it was just another person off to eat supper and scoff at the price of steak. 

She was suddenly jerked back, her body pressed flush against a lean form as a hand covered her mouth. A husky voice pressed against her ear, its words soft and masculine. "Don't say a word."

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A/N: Can this poor girl never get a break? I think not. 

  
  



	7. A Normal Life

Chap. 7

Rem's whole body seized up in fear as the man slipped his free arm around her waist and pulled her gruffly back into the room from which he had come out of. She couldn't see anything in the pitch black room, let alone her assailant behind her. However, she could hear his every move as he pushed her roughly again a wall and held her arms to her sides with one hand and her mouth with the other. His hands were calloused and strong, making it almost impossible to move. 

Her other senses began to react violently against her, making it hard to decipher what was really happening. The smell of his cologne nearly drown her as the sound of him shifting his weight so he could reach for the light crashed upon her like a wave. She was scared, even more so then when she had been at the plant because now, she was alone. No one would come to rescue her. 

_I wish I had never left home!_ She thought as the man pressed against her, his hand still covering her mouth. She considered biting him for a moment before his voice broke through her thoughts.

"I'm going to take my hand off your mouth and turn on the light," he said, "don't scream, Rem." 

As soon as the hand was removed, she was ready to scream her head off. She would have, too, if she hadn't realized what her attacker had just said. "How do you know my name?" she demanded, trying to see through the dark, to catch a glimpse of recognition through the shadowed room.

Suddenly, the light blinded her as her companion flipped on the switch. She blinked a few times in confusion, raising one arm to block the light from her sensitive eyes. As a blurred form in front of her took shape, so did the features. Dark hair, swarthy smile, bright blue eyes full of mirth as she gapped at him. 

"Nick!" She nearly screamed, forgetting what he had told her only moments before, "What in the hell do you think you're doing?! You scared the shit out of me!"

He simply laughed, tears streaming down his long face as she glared at him, ready to kill. She contemplated for a moment whether to kiss him or to kill him before she decided on neither. Walking across the now clear room, she sat down on the single bed, trying to sort out her thoughts as each one clamored for attention.

Nick, meanwhile, was trying to stop laughing so hard, or at least long enough to get one coherent sentence out. "I (laugh) couldn't help it!" he burst in to giggles, "You should have seen (sigh) your face." He wiped a tear of mirth from his eye as she ran her fingers through her hair, trying to keep from jumping up and choking her dear, good friend. 

"I could have shot you, Nick! What the hell were you thinking?!" Rem sighed and lay back on the soft bed, briefly wondering where Nick got the money to pay for a single room. 

"Shot me?" he sat down on the edge of the bed next to her, still grinning from ear to ear, "With what?" His grin was quickly replaced with a look of unease as she reached to her hip and pulled out the .45 Colt, its silver edge gleamed in the bright light of the room. "Where did you. . ." 

"It was my father's," she said simply, slipping the deadly weapon back into its holster. Nick simply stared at her for a moment before laying down next to her on his stomach, his head propped up by his hands. 

He brushed cool fingers across her forehead, pushing her roughly cut bangs out of her eyes. "You cut your hair," he stated simply, still lightly stroking her hair. His touch sent shivers down her spine, making her once again question the validly of their friendship. 

"I had to," she told him, closing her eyes and letting herself relax into his caress. "Women aren't safe traveling alone, so I wanted to disguise myself." She could almost feel him smile. 

"You're too beautiful to be some rouge man," he told her quietly. She didn't answer as he continued to stroke her features, venturing from her forehead to her cheeks and eyes. He spoke again, his voice still quiet, but it now held some air of fear and disbelief. "Did you really plan to run so far that you need to hide your gender and carry a gun?"

She inwardly cringed, knowing that he didn't want to hear the truth. "I can't stay there anymore," she felt tears gathering in the corners of her eyes, "even though Dad and Mum can forgive me for what I did, I can't. What if it happens again, Nick?!" She sat up quickly, her eyes wide with fear at the prospect of killing another person, "What if I kill again?! What if next time, instead of some crude sad-excuse for a man, it's someone I care about?!" She let the tears fall, streaming in rivers down her cheeks and falling forgotten on the bed bellow her.

Rem felt Nick's strong arms wrap around her, engulfing her in his embrace. She wept into his chest, her sobs muffled by his shirt. He rested his head against hers, his lips lightly brushing her hair. "What if I killed you?" she whispered quietly, clutching at him in desperation and sorrow. 

"You wouldn't," he told her, trying to reassure her in some way. 

"I could, though," she sighed, letting her tears fall freely. All the emotions and confusion of the last two days finally coursing through and out of her broken soul. "I could kill you like I did him. It'd be no different, only then, I'd have to go on without you. Alone."

"Where will you go?" he asked, still holding her tightly, trying not to think of causing her so much pain. 

"I have to," she hiccuped, "I have to go to Millions Knives." She felt his whole body tense around her. She knew what this meant to him, now that they both knew the full story of Nicholas D. Wolfwood and Knives' roll in his death. "I'm sorry, Nick."

"Stay with me," he whispered, laying back and pulling her down with him. She expected him to let go of her at this point, but he only held her tighter, rolling over to draw her nearer to him. 

Rem wanted so badly to tell him she would, that they could stay together forever in that moment, alone on a sandsteamer bound for Nowhere. She knew, though, in her heart, that her decision was the right one and that she couldn't stop now that she had started. "I can't." 

He sighed as she rested against him, sleep beginning to drag her down. "Then I'll have to go with you."

"Thank you, Nick," she whispered as her eyelids drooped down, her weariness pulling her down. 

"I'd follow you through anything," he whispered, knowing that she was already asleep in his arms, "Just to be with you forever." He sighed and closed his eyes, pretending that for one more night, he lived a normal life. . .with her.

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(A/N: I thought about ending it on that rather fluffy note, but. . .)

Rem set her bags down on the hot sand, smiling happily as the sandsteamer prepared to depart again from the booming city of Abril, its final occupants shuffling out into the morning light. The crew was bustling about, loading cargo and making sure that everything was ready to leave for their next destination. 

"Nick!" she called over her shoulder, smiling at him as he set his own rather modest bag next to her own, "where should we go?"

"Didn't you have a destination in mind?" he asked, an eyebrow raised in both amusement and confusion.

She shook her head, still grinning like a little girl at him as he picked up her bags and his own, beginning to walk in the direction of the nearest dinner. "Actually, I just kind of left," she felt silly admitting her lack of planning when it actually came down to running away. "Really, I don't have any idea where to start!"

He laughed as they entered the small café. The whole place was rather crowded with early morning costumers, drinking a quick coffee before running off to various jobs and appointments. Rem felt completely free from their hectic pace as she and Nick found an empty table towards the back. He set their bags down as they waited for the waitress. 

The first person to come to the table wasn't a waitress, however, it was a tall, rather pretty, blonde woman, not much older than Rem's mother. Her eyes were a violent shade of purple and her clothes seemed rather rich. "Oh," the woman seemed rather shocked and embarrassed as the two stared up at her in confusion, "I'm sorry, you just," she faltered, her eyes wide as she stared at Rem, "you just look like someone I met a long time ago. She seemed to be in shock as she continued to size up the youth. "No, clearly you aren't him, but you look so much alike." The woman seemed almost saddened for a moment.

Rem couldn't help back feel intrigued as the woman prepared to leave. Clearly the woman had wanted her to be this long lost person. "Who was he?" Rem called out before she even realized what she was saying. 

The woman smiled sadly, "I don't know if you'd believe me if I told you. No one really believes that Vash the Stampede was a real man anymore."

Rem faltered. It was now her turn to stare in shock. All she could say was, "I believe you." She pulled out a spare chair, indicating it towards the lady before her. "Please sit down, Miss. . .?"

The woman smiled a little wider, this time a real smile that made her look years younger. "Marianne." 

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A/N: So, that's that for today. I didn't really have this chapter planned out before I wrote it, it just kind of came to me. Anyway, hope you liked. Please R/R. If I get. . .hmm. . . seven more reviews I'll think about updating extra early. Please feel free to say whatever you like. Compliments and criticism always help!

Also, for those of you who don't know who Marianne is, she is the girl from the second episode that Vash is a "bodyguard" for. ^_^ 

What would you call the emotion that a character would have when they sweatdrop?


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